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Borg Backup vs Cohesity DataProtect

Borg Backup logo

Borg Backup

Software

Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cohesity DataProtect logo

Cohesity DataProtect

Software

Hyperconverged secondary data protection

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Borg Backup has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Borg Backup linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform; Cohesity DataProtect primarily focused on enterprise customers; less suitable for small businesses
  • They diverge on capability: Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Cohesity DataProtect covers Hyperconverged architecture.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Borg Backup and Cohesity DataProtect actually diverge.

Attributes where Borg Backup and Cohesity DataProtect differ
AttributeBorg BackupCohesity DataProtect
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, MacOn-premises, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud
Founded20152013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Borg Backup

  • Content-defined chunking
  • Deduplication
  • Compression
  • Authenticated encryption
  • Pruning
  • Mount archives
  • SSH
  • BorgBase

Only in Cohesity DataProtect

  • Hyperconverged architecture
  • Instant mass restore
  • Global deduplication
  • Global search
  • Ransomware protection
  • Cloud tiering
  • VMware
  • Hyper-V

Both cover

  • Linux support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Borg Backup

  • Deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensivenot Cohesity DataProtect
  • Encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintextnot Cohesity DataProtect
  • Browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over FUSEnot Cohesity DataProtect
  • Scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to runnot Cohesity DataProtect

Cohesity DataProtect

  • Data protectionnot Borg Backup
  • Disaster recoverynot Borg Backup
  • Business continuitynot Borg Backup
  • Ransomware protectionnot Borg Backup
  • Compliancenot Borg Backup

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Borg Backup

  • Linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform
  • Command-line only, with no graphical interface in the project itself
  • Version 2.0 is still in beta, so production use means staying on the 1.4 line
  • Restoring requires the Borg tooling, since archives are a deduplicated chunk store rather than plain files

Cohesity DataProtect

  • Primarily focused on enterprise customers; less suitable for small businesses
  • Requires significant IT expertise to optimize deduplication and retention policies
  • High upfront infrastructure costs for on-premises deployment

Pricing, plan by plan

Borg Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Deduplication
    • Compression
    • Encryption

Cohesity DataProtect

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cohesity DataProtect review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Borg Backup if

  • You need content-defined chunking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac.
  • You also want deduplication.
Borg Backup review

Choose Cohesity DataProtect if

  • You need hyperconverged architecture.
  • You work on On-premises, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud.
  • You also want instant mass restore.
Cohesity DataProtect review

Questions people ask

Is Borg Backup or Cohesity DataProtect better?
Neither clearly leads. Borg Backup starts at Free and Cohesity DataProtect at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Borg Backup or Cohesity DataProtect?
Borg Backup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Borg Backup and On request for Cohesity DataProtect.
Does Borg Backup or Cohesity DataProtect run on more platforms?
Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac. Cohesity DataProtect runs on On-premises, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud.
Can I use Borg Backup for free?
Yes. Borg Backup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cohesity DataProtect starts at On request.
What is Borg Backup best used for?
Borg Backup is most often used for deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensive, encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintext, browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over fuse, scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to run. Of those, deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensive and encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintext are not what Cohesity DataProtect is typically brought in for.
What can Borg Backup do that Cohesity DataProtect cannot?
Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Deduplication, Compression, Authenticated encryption. Cohesity DataProtect covers Hyperconverged architecture, Instant mass restore, Global deduplication, Global search. Both handle Linux support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cohesity DataProtect: What is the main benefit of Cohesity DataProtect's instant recovery?

Cohesity uniquely reduces downtime by enabling instant mass restoration of any number of VMs, large volumes of unstructured data, and Oracle databases to any point in time.

Source
Cohesity DataProtect: How much can Cohesity reduce data protection costs?

Cohesity DataProtect reduces data protection costs by 70% or more through unified management and deduplication.

Source
Cohesity DataProtect: What platforms and workloads does Cohesity DataProtect support?

Cohesity DataProtect protects on-premises systems, multiple cloud environments, and SaaS applications through a single unified platform.

Source
Cohesity DataProtect: Does Cohesity use security best practices for backup protection?

Yes. Cohesity DataProtect uses multilayered security architecture designed to minimize the risk of backups becoming a ransomware target.

Source
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